We are proud to share that Dr. Lauren Wendling, Collaboratory’s Director of Institutional Success, has been awarded the IARSLCE 2024 Early Career Award. This recognition highlights her innovative contributions as a boundary-spanning leader and nontraditional scholar in community engagement. Dr. Wendling’s work stands out for its depth, breadth, and impact on both scholarship and practice, advancing institutional systems that foster community engagement across higher education.
Her work centers on two primary goals: advancing community-engaged research in the context of faculty promotion and tenure reform, and leveraging data to foster a culture of community engagement across higher education. As Dr. Patrick Green, a nominator, notes, “Lauren’s work deepens and expands understanding of the barriers and opportunities to rewarding community-engaged scholarship, positioning her as a critical voice in shaping national agendas.”
In addition to her scholarly contributions, Dr. Wendling’s modern career path exemplifies her commitment to translating research into practice. As an integral part of Collaboratory, she helps higher education institutions nationwide track, analyze, and improve their community engagement. Her role has been instrumental in influencing how universities align and integrate engagement into institutional goals.
In her role at Collaboratory, Dr. Wendling has made a national impact by guiding campuses in utilizing data to institutionalize community engagement. “Lauren’s scholarship and practice has been felt by hundreds of institutions. Whether through a conference presentation, a webinar, a workshop, or a phone call, Lauren has built capacity to advance community engagement in immeasurable ways,” said Dr. Kristin Norris, one of her nominators, reflecting on how her scholarship and practice have shaped institutional strategies for fostering a culture of engagement.
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Wendling for this well-deserved recognition!
